Steering-gear.



UNITED STATES.

PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE A. BURWELL, OF PLATTSBURG, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE LOZIER MOTOR COMPANY, OF PLATTSBURG, NEW YORK,'A CORPORA- TION OF NEW YORK.

STEERING-G EAR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 71 5,193, dated December 2, 1902.

Application filed May 9, 1902. Serial No. 106,529. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE A. BUEWELL, residing in Plattsburg, in the State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Steering-Gear, of. which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part hereof.

This invention relates to devices usedin connection with the steering-gear of vessels, whereby the steering chains or ropes are always kept taut and any slack which may be caused by the stretching of said chains or ropes is automatically taken up.

The device which is the subject of the present invention is in the nature of a yielding connect-ion between the steering-rope and the tiller.

In the drawing a plan view of the stern-of a boat is represented, showing the improved device secured to the steering mechanism.

In the present embodiment of the invention a stout coiled spring a surrounds the tiller Z), and one end of said spring may rest against or be secured to a collar 0 upon the tiller. A short sleeve or collar d, loosely fitted upon the end of the tiller, is engaged by the free end of the spring a, and the steering-chains e, which are shown in part, therest being indi-, cated by broken lines, are secured to lugs f on each side of the collar (1. The chains, which extend slightly backward from their fastenings on the lugs f, in order to cause the collar 11 to operatively engage the spring a, pass through suitable blocks or guides g and are operated in the usual manner by a Wheel. (Not shown.) By removing the pin 71., which may be provided in the end of the tiller to limit the Inovementof the collar d, said collar and spring may be removed, and, if. de-

sired, a new spring may be easily substituted for the old one.

As the spring is always under compression between the fixed collar 0 and the movable collar d, more or less tension will always exist in the steering-chain. The amount of such tension will be determined by the character of the spring employed and by the position of the blocks g with reference to the collar (1. It will be obvious that instead of employing a spring under compression a tensile force may be applied to the spring by placing the blocks g farther forward, which force will 0perate in like manner to take up any slack in the steering-chain. It will also be obvious that the positions of the movable collar (1 and the fixed collar 0 may be interchanged, if desired, and finally that other forms of yielding connection may be employed between the tiller and the steering-chain without departing from this invention.

I claim as my invention 7 1. In a vessel, the combination with a tiller and steering-chains, of a coiled spring mounted on said tiller and having one end fixed to said tiller, the other end being in operative relation with said steering-chains.

2. In a vessel, the combination with a tiller and steering-chains, of a coiled spring mounted on said tiller and having one end fixed to said tiller, and a sleeve loosely mounted upon said tiller and in operative relation with said spring and steering-chains.

This specification signed and witnessed this 5th day of May, A. D. 1902.

GEORGE A. BURWELL.

In presence of F. M. MILLER, L. F. PERRY. 

